Support device for fluid receptacles

ABSTRACT

A support device for fluid receptacles, particularly for holding body fluid collecting receptacles at the edge of a hospital bed, comprised of a right angle bracket including means for engaging and holding a liquid receptacle in an upright position, and a mounting plate to which the receptacle holding bracket is pivotally connected. The mounting plate includes flange means at one end thereof for removably attaching the support device to a bed frame member having flat or planar wall elements, and an arcuate hanger at the opposite end thereof for suspending said support device on a round frame member of a wheeled stretcher or wheel chair. The mounting plate may be rotatably adjusted with respect to the receptacle holding bracket to bring either the flange attachment means or the arcuate hanger into position to engage a frame member, the pivotal connection between the receptacle holder bracket and the mounting plate further permitting the mounting plate to pivot to various angular positions with the frame member to which it is attached while the receptacle holding bracket remains in its normal position of use to thereby continuously support a liquid receptacle in an upright position so that its contents will not be spilled.

United States Patent Abel [54] SUPPORT DEVICE FOR FLUID RECEPTACLES [72]Inventor:

Paul, Minn. 55112 [22] Filed:

Aug. 7, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 62,025

Allen J. Abel, 3110 Ridgewood Road, St.

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No.741,673, July 1,

1968, Pat. No. 3,548,827.

52 11.5.0 ..248/312,l28/275,2ll/8l,

224/45 AA, 248/215 51 lnt.Cl. ..A6lm27/00 [58] FieldofSearch..248/3l2,3l1,210,211,214,

248/215, 240; 21 H7], 72, 74, 75, 8l, 1l6; 224/45 A, 45 AA; 128/275,295; 294/8728 [451 Apr. 4, 1972 Primary Examiner-J. Franklin FossAttorney-Williamson, Palmatier & Bains ABSTRACT A support device forfluid receptacles, particularly for holding body fluid collectingreceptacles at the edge of a hospital bed, comprised of a right anglebracket including means for engaging and holding a liquid receptacle inan upright position, and a mounting plate to which the receptacleholding bracket is pivotally connected. The mounting plate includesflange means at one end thereof for removably attaching the supportdevice to a bed frame member having flat or planar wall elements, and anarcuate hanger at the opposite end thereof for suspending said supportdevice on a round frame member of a wheeled stretcher or wheel chair.The mounting plate may be rotatably adjusted with respect to thereceptacle holding bracket to bring either the flangeattachment means orthe arcuate hanger into position to engage a frame member, the pivotalconnection between the receptacle holder bracket and the mounting platefurther permitting the mounting plate to pivot to various angularpositions with the frame member to which it is attached while thereceptacle holding bracket remains in its normal position of use tothereby continuously support a liquid receptacle in an upright positionso that its contents will not be spilled.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 4 I972 SHEET 1 OF 2 FIG! 4-INVENTOR. 4116' .7. 455A SUPPORT DEVICE FOR FLUID RECEPTACLES Thisapplication is a continuation-in-part of my copending application filedon July 1, 1968 under Ser. No. 741,673 now US. Pat. No. 3,548,827 andentitled Body Fluid Drainage and Collecting Apparatus".

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The receptacle support device of this inventionis particularly characterized by a receptacle holding bracket and amounting plate so constructed and arranged with respect to each other asto permit the support device to be removably suspended on either aangularbed frame member having planar wall elements or a round framemember as might be found on a wheel chair or wheeled stretcher fortransporting patients, while insuring that the receptacle holdingbracket will always be positioned to support a liquid receptacle in anuprightposition regardless of the angular disposition or inclination ofthe frame member to which the mounting plate is attached.

These basic objectives are realized by utilizing a swivel connector toattach a receptacle support bracket to a mounting plate provided withattachment means for removable mounting on a frame member, such as a bedframe, the swivel connector defining a horizontal axis about which themounting plate may rotate or pivot to conform to the angle ofinclination of the frame member to which it is attached, with thereceptacle support bracket remaining in its normal position of usewherein is is effective to hold a liquid containing receptacle in aperfectly upright position at all times.

As a particularly advantageous feature of my invention, the aforesaidmounting plate is provided at one end thereof with an integral flangeadapted to removably engagea' right angle frame member of a bed frame,the opposite end of the mounting plate terminating in an arcuatelyshaped hanger which may be utilized for suspending the support device ona round frame member such as would normally be found on a wheeledstretcher or wheel chair. By rotating the mounting plate 180 on itsswivel connection with the receptacle support bracket, the arcuatehanger may be brought into a'position wherein it opens downwardly andthus may be employed to suspend the support device on a round framemember.

A further beneficial aspect of my improved receptacle support deviceresides in the incorporation of a gripping handle on the upper end ofthe receptacle support bracket, whereby the support device may beutilized to transport a liquid containing receptacle after detachingthemounting plate from the frame member on which it is suspended. ln-thepreferred form of my invention, the receptacle support bracket is ofright angle configuration and includes an upright wall memberprivotally' attached to the mounting plate and having the aforesaidgripping handle formed on the upper end thereof. A planar arm projectinghorizontally from the upright member of the support bracket is formedwith a recess therein between two horizontally projecting fingers onwhich the neck of a liquid receptacle may be supportably engaged.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will becomereadily apparent as the following description is read in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals have been.used to designate like-elements throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top, plan view of thesupport device of this invennon;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle support device;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section view of the support device taken long lines3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view showing the support device beingutilized to support a liquid receptacle on a bed frame;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view showing the manner in which the supportdevice may be utilized to suspend a liquid receptacle on a round framemember;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, Ihave shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 a preferred embodiment of the uniquereceptacle support device of this invention, which has been designatedgenerally by reference numeral 1. Support device 1. is comprised of amounting or base plate 2 and a receptacle holder 4 pivotally attachedtheretov by means of a swivel fastener 6.

Receptacle holder 4 preferably takes the form of a right angle supportbracket having an upwardly extending wall member 8 and a horizontallyprojecting receptacle support arm 10 extending at right anglestherefrom. Support arm 10 is a planar member and is provided with arecess 12 defined between two; I

forwardly extending fingers 14 and 16 provides a receptacle receivingand holding means which engages the neck of a receiving vessel in amanner hereinafter explained. The outer ends 18 and 19 of fingers 14 and16 are turned upwardly to assist in holding a liquid receptacle in placeon support'arm 10- Upright wall member 8 of support bracket 10terminates at its up'per end in a gripping handle 20, apertured as isclearly shown in FIG. 1- to provide a gripping space for the fingers ofa persons hand, the top, horizontal gripping element of handle 20 beingcovered with plastic material 22 to provide a relatively soft, roundedgripping surface. Handle 20 angles upwardly and outwardly from wallmember 8 to thereby avoid interference of the carrier's fingers withmounting plate 2.

Mounting plate 2 has an upright plate portion 24 coextensivewith uprightwall member 8 of support arms 4 and connected thereto by means of swivelfastener 6. It will be noted that swivel fastener 6 defines a horizontalaxis about which mounting plate 2 may be pivoted or rotated relative toreceptacle holder 4. At one end of mounting'plate 2 there is providedattachment means constructed and arranged to engage a bed frame memberhaving planar wall elements angularly disposed withrespect to eachother. This'attachmentmeans advantageously takes the form of'ahorizontal flange 26 depending at right angles from upright plateportion 24 of mounting plate 2 and formed integrally'therewith. Hookedend portions 28a and 28b at the outer extremities of flange 26 areutilized to'restrainably engage mounting plate 2 with a frame memberhaving planar wall elements. At its opposite end, plate portion 24 ofmounting plate 2 is formed to provide an arcuate hanger 30, which isalso coated along its upper edge portion with a plastic material 32.Arcuately shaped hanger 30 is utilized to suspend hanger device 1 on aframe member of round cross section in a manner explained below. Hangerdevice 1 is also provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive strip 34affixed to the forward face of mounting plate portion 24 and having itsother, normally loose end 34a wrapped around the outer, horizontal edgeof arcuate hanger the same dies for economy and manufacturingconvenience.

For this reason, flange 26, like support arm 10 of bracket 4 is formedwith an -arcuate recess therein; and arcuate hanger 30, like handle 20isinitially of rectangular shape with a central aperture therein. As afinal forming step, hanger 30 is rolled over to provide the arcuatehanger shape shown.

In FIG. 4 I have illustrated the manner in which my hanger device may beutilized to support a fluid receptacle on a bed frame. The bed frame hasbeen indicated by reference numeral 36 and is of the commonly employed,angle iron configuration having planar wall elements 36a and 36b.Mounting plate 2 is removably attached to frame member 36 by hooking endportions 28d and 28b of attachment flange 26 over the longitudinal edgeof flat frame element 360 in the manner shown in FIG. 4. With mountingplate 2 suspended in this manner, arcuate hanger 30 will be in anupwardly opening, U- shaped configuration in its position of nonuse. Aliquid receptacle 38 is supported on bracket arm by inserting neck 40thereof between support fingers l4 and 16 with collar or enlargedannular portion 42 of neck 40 overlying and resting upon fingers l4 and16 as well as on the top of horizontally extending arm 10. Theoverlying, abutting engagement of receptacle collar 42 with the topsurfaces of arm 10 and fingers l4 and 16 is illustrated in phantom linesin FIG. 1. Receptacle 38 has a top closure cap 44 which engages neck 40,and which is provided with a tubular connecting stem 46 to which aflexible drainage tube 48 is connected. When suspended on support device1 from a bed frame 36 in the aforesaid manner, receptacle 38 may beeffectively utilized to receive body fluids draining from a patientresting on a bed supported on frame 36. Tubular connecting stem 46 forreceptacle 38 is actually a swivel connector, the structure andarrangement of which with respect to closure cap 44 is more fullydisclosed in my aforesaid copending application filed on July 1, 1968,under Ser. No. 741,673. By supporting receptacle 38 at an elevatedposition on bed frame 36, in contrast with the common practice ofplacing liquid receiving vessels on the floor adjacent the patients bed,the problem of inadvertently upsetting the collecting bottle orreceptacle by persons attending the patient is obviated. Pivotalconnection 6 between mounting plate 2 and receptacle holder 4 serves thevery important function of preventing the tipping of receptacle 38 inthe event that bed frame 36 is inclined to elevate the head or foot ofthe patient's bed by articulating means with which most hospital bedsare now equipped. Mounting plate 2, being firmly secured to bed frame36, will rotate therewith about the horizontal axis of swivel connector6 as bed frame 36 is inclined to various positions to elevate either thehead or foot thereof. As mounting plate 2 is pivoted by the bed frame,receptacle support bracket 4 will remain stationary with support arm 10remaining in the substantially horizontal position shown in FIG. 4 tothereby hold receptacle 38 in the desired upright position, therebypreventing the tipping of receptacle 38 and the spilling of itscontents.

The manner in which my unique support device operates to hold a liquidcontainer or receptacle in an upright position on an inclined framemember is further illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Anticipating that therewill be many occasions where it would be necessary and desirable to havesome means of supporting a body fluid receptacle on a wheel chair orwheeled stretcher on which a patient is being transported, I haveprovided arcuate hanger 30 on one end of mounting plate 2 to permitsupport device 1 to be suspended on one of the round frame membersnormally found on such conveyances. In order to render support device 1effective to suspend liquid receptacle 38 on a frame member of round orcircular cross section, as is illustrated with respect to member 50inFIGS. 5 and 6, it is only necessary to pivot mounting plate 2 through anarc of 180 on a swivel connector 6. This will have the effect ofrotating arcuate hanger 30 to the upwardly disposed position shown inFIGS. 5 and 6 wherein it opens downwardly and may be hooked over the topof round frame member 50 in the manner shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 to suspendreceptacle holder 4 thereon. Plastic coating 32 on the outer end ofarcuate hanger 30 assists in holding hanger 30 in firm engagement withframe member 50. As may be noted most clearly with respect to FIG. 6,mounting plate 2 may be pivoted about swivel connector 6 withrespect toupright wall member 8 of receptacle holder 4 to conform to the angle ofinclination of supporting frame member 50 for engagement therewith. Withupright wall member 8 of receptacle holder 4 maintained in thesubstantially upright position shown in FIG. 6, bracket support arm 10for receptacle 38 will stay in the horizontal position shown, therebyholding receptacle 38 in the uprightposition shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Forpurposes of illustration, I have shown receptacle 38 in the form of arectangular vessel. Annular collar or protuberance 42 on neck 40 ofreceptacle 38 will engage and be supported on fingers l4 and 16 ofbracket arm 10 in the same manner described above with respect to FIG.4. The side frame members of wheel chairs and mobil cots or stretchersare frequently inclined as is illustrated in FIG. 6 with respect toframe member 50. In order to further insure that there will be nodownward, sliding movement of arcuate hanger 30 along frame member 50 asreceptacle 38 becomes loaded and weighted with fluid, end 34a ofpressure-sensitive adhesive strip 34 is wrapped around frame member 50in the manner indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6. With one end of adhesive strip34 still attached to the front face of plate portion 24 of mountingplate 2, the other end 34a of strip 34 is wrapped tightly around framemember 50 in the manner shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. End 34a is then againattached to the back face of plate portion 24 of mounting plate 2 toassist in holding it in place.

The manner in which handle 20 may be utilized for carrying a receivingvessel or receptacle by means of support device 1 is illustrated in FIG7. With receptacle 38 in place on support arm 10, mounting plate 2 isdisengaged from the frame member on which is was supported and handle 20is grasped by inserting the fingers therethrough in the manner shown inFIG. 7. The support device may be stabilized against tipping by exertingthumb pressure against the top surface of flange 26 of mounting plate 2.Plastic coating 22 on handle 20 insures a comfortable grip for thefingers of the person carrying receptacle 38.

Based on the foregoing description, and accompanying drawings, it willbe appreciated that the receptacle support device disclosed herein maybe utilized very effectively to perform a number of important functions.The provision of arcuate hanger 30 in combination with hooked attachmentflange 26 permits the support device to be removably attached to eitheran ordinary bed frame of angular shape or to a round frame member on awheel chair or wheeled stretcher. Whichever supporting means isemployed, bracket support arm 10 will always remain in a horizontalposition to hold a liquid receiving vessel in an upright positionregardless of the position to which mounting plate 2 is pivoted on theframe member to which it is secured. As noted above, handle 20 may beeffectively utilized to transport a filled liquid container to a placeof disposal or analysis.

Although I have shown and described my unique swivel support device withrespect to preferred embodiments thereof, l contemplate that variouschanges may be made in the size, shape, and arrangement of the variousparts thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention as defined by the following claims.

Iclaim:

l. A support device for holding fluid receptacles comprismg:

a mounting plate having attachment means thereon for Supporting saidmounting plate on a bed frame member, and an arcuately shaped hanger onone end of said mounting plate remote from said attachment means, saidhanger being constructed and arranged to assume a downwardly openingposition for supporting said device on a round frame member by therotation of said mounting plate about a horizontal axis extendingsubstantially perpendicular to said mounting plate; and

a receptacle support bracket of right angle shape having a first,upright member coextensive with said mounting plate and pivotallysecured thereto to permit relative, pivotal movement between saidmounting plate and said bracket about said horizontal axis, and a secondmember projecting horizontally from said first member at right anglesthereto, said second member having receptacle receiving and holdingmeans formed thereon.

2. A support device for fluid receptacles comprising:

a receptacle holder having means thereon for engaging and supporting aliquid receptacle in an upright position;

a mounting plate pivotally attached to said receptacle holder by swivelconnecting means permitting relative pivotal movement between saidholder and mounting plate about a substantially horizontal axisextending perpendicular to the vertical plane of said mounting plate;

support means on said mounting plate constructed and ar ranged to engagea frame member of planar configuration; and

an arcuate hanger on said mounting plate rotatable to a downwardlyopening position of use for suspending said device on a round framemember by pivoting said mounting plate on said swivel connecting means.

3. A support device as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said support means comprises a hanger flange formed on one end of saidmounting plate at right angles thereto, and said arcuate hanger isformed on the opposite end of said mounting plate, said arcuate hangernormally being in an upwardly opening, U-shaped configuration of nonusewhen said support means is being utilized to support said device on aplanar frame member, whereby the pivoting of said mounting plate throughon said swivel connecting means will bring said arcuate hanger to saiddownwardly opening position of use.

4. A support device as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said receptacle holder comprises a bracket having an upright memberattached to said mounting plate by said swivel connecting means, and anarm projecting outwardly from said upright member and having a recesstherein adapted to receive and supportably engage the neck of areceptacle.

5. A support device as defined in claim 2, and further including:

a pressure sensitive, adhesive strip secured to said mounting plate atone end and having a free end adapted to be attached to a round framemember to prevent sliding movement of said arcuate hanger thereon ifsaid round frame member is inclined.

1. A support device for holding fluid receptacles comprising: a mountingplate having attachment means thereon for supporting said mounting plateon a bed frame member, and an arcuately shaped hanger on one end of saidmounting plate remote from said attachment means, said hanger beingconstructed and arranged to assume a downwardly opening position forsupporting said device on a round frame member by the rotation of saidmounting plate about a horizontal axis extending substantiallyperpendicular to said mounting plate; and a receptacle support bracketof right angle shape having a first, upright member coextensive withsaid mounting plate and pivotally secured thereto to permit relative,pivotal movement between said mounting plate and said bracket about saidhorizontal axis, and a second member projecting horizontally from saidfirst member at right angles thereto, said second member havingreceptacle receiving and holding means formed thereon.
 2. A supportdevice for fluid receptacles comprising: a receptacle holder havingmeans thereon for engaging and supporting a liquid receptacle in anupright position; a mounting plate pivotally attached to said receptacleholder by swivel connecting means permitting relative pivotal movementbetween said holder and mounting plate about a substantially horizontalaxis extending perpendicular to the vertical plane of said mountingplate; support means on said mounting plate constructed and arranged toengage a frame member of planar configuration; and an arcuate hanger onsaid mounting plate rotatable to a downwardly opening position of usefor suspending said device on a round frame member by pivoting saidmounting plate on said swivel connecting means.
 3. A support device asdefined in claim 2 wherein: said support means comprises a hanger flangeformed on one end of said mounting plate at right angles thereto, andsaid arcuate hanger is formed on the opposite end of said mountingplate, said arcuate hanger normally being in an upwardly opening,U-shaped configuration of nonuse when said support means is beingutilized to support said device on a planar frame member, whereby thepivoting of said mounting plate through 180* on said swivel connectingmeans will bring said arcuate hanger to said downwardly opening positionof use.
 4. A support device as defined in claim 2 wherein: saidreceptacle holder comprises a bracket having an upright member attachedto said mounting plate by said swivel connecting means, and an armprojecting outwardly from said upright member and having a recessthErein adapted to receive and supportably engage the neck of areceptacle.
 5. A support device as defined in claim 2, and furtherincluding: a pressure sensitive, adhesive strip secured to said mountingplate at one end and having a free end adapted to be attached to a roundframe member to prevent sliding movement of said arcuate hanger thereonif said round frame member is inclined.